see also: in Concepts and Recommendations:   IT06 Report - Executive Summary   IT06 Report - Report On IT06 for the Government Information Technology Services Working Group (GITS) of the National Information Infrastructure Task Force (NII)

Mr. James J. Flyzik
Chairman
Government Information Technology Services Working Group
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. Chairman:

Attached is the report of the IT06 Task Force on the creation of an International Trade Data System. Fifty three agencies participated on this task force. The report discusses the present systems in place for regulating international trade, and proposes an integrated structure that would join together the agencies involved in international trade. The system would employ a common set of data elements that would allow for the standardization of processes, the sharing of information, and implementation on a standardized technology platform.

The report makes a number of recommendations, the most important of which is the appointment of a senior policy level inter-agency "Board of Directors'' with the authority to recommend and, if necessary, direct individual agencies to modify their processes and systems to conform with the principles for an integrated International Trade Data System. This is necessary because, as ever, when one travels from the vision to the detail level, hard choices will have to be made. At present, no organization exists within the federal government that has the broad cross-agency authority and responsibility to implement a system such as the one proposed. The Board will assume that responsibility.

Our group is prepared at any time to answer questions about this report and the International Trade Data System.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Proctor
Richard A. KuzmackA
Robert W. Ehinger
GITS Working Group
OMB
Chm, Steering Committee
IT06 Steering Committee
IT06 Steering Committee
IT06 Task Force